


Fever & Cough

by ResearchBlackwingsAndDenial



Series: Home Remedies [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Caring!Dean, DeanCas - Freeform, Destiel - Freeform, Fever, Headcanon, Home remedies, M/M, Men of Letters Bunker, Pining, Shipper!Sam, angel - Freeform, cough, fall - Freeform, lone hunt, shower, sick!Cas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-26
Updated: 2015-12-26
Packaged: 2018-05-09 14:57:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5544263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ResearchBlackwingsAndDenial/pseuds/ResearchBlackwingsAndDenial
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Second installment to the <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/series/375956"> Home Remedies </a> series. Cas is still sick, but he's not making it easy for Dean to take care of him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fever & Cough

**Author's Note:**

> So I read somewhere that to cure a sore throat you should gargle six pressed garlic cloves with warm water twice a day for three days, so I had Dean and Cas try it. 
> 
> Also, hot showers help soothe pain and sleep better. (◡‿◡✿)
> 
> Oh and eucalyptus' steam inhalations help to ease a cough and breathe better, but I bet you already knew that. (◡‿◕✿)
> 
> Here goes, I sincerely hope you like it! ♥

 

 

 

The next time Dean wakes up he feels disoriented. At first he thinks he’s in a motel room, but this feels too comfortable and warm to be one of those hideous beds. So he’s at the bunker, but this isn’t his room, it’s Cas’ room, and this is all wrong because he didn’t fall asleep alone. He frowns in the dark and turns his head to Cas’ side of the bed… _the side he fell asleep on_ he means, they have no _sides_ on Cas’ bed, they’re not married. And why exactly is he thinking about that?

 

There’s a faint glow coming from the TV, but no sound at all and a small lump takes form on the armchair under Dean’s gaze. It’s shaking, and coughing a bit every now and then. Dean rubs his eyes, trying to make sense of reality through his sleep induced fuzzy state.

 

“Cas?”

 

Cas mumbles something under his breath and now he’s _really_ shaking.

 

“Shit.” Dean kicks the covers away and comes in a hurry to stand in front of the TV.

 

Cas’ eyes are red again and his skin is so pale Dean swears if the angel were to smite someone he’d see the blue glow coming out of his every pore.

No way he’s doing that, he’s sweating and Dean doesn’t need to check to know it’s cold.

 

Cas is holding his knees to his chest laying sideways on the seat of the armchair and Dean has a feeling that if he let’s go he’s gonna fall right out of it.

He crouches in front of the angel and gently places his right hand on Castiel’s knee.

 

“Cas? What’s going on?” He searches his eyes and Cas just stares back, looking confused.

 

“Why aren’t you in bed, buddy?” Dean doesn’t give him time to answer and starts trying to get him out of the chair.

 

“You’re gonna get colder like this. C’mon let’s get you under the covers, you’ll feel better.”

 

But Cas sinks lower into the chair and shakes his head, which apparently takes a lot of effort from him and now Dean feels something cold in his stomach.

 

“Cas?”

 

Cas’ voice is incredibly small and Dean has to crouch back down to make out the words.

 

“It hurts-” He sniffles. ”to lay down”

 

Dean’s voice is just above a whisper now too. “Oh…” _Crap._ “Okay, um… Is it your back? Does your back hurt? Can you tell me where exactly?”

Dean knows he’s fussing, feeling his friend’s arms and legs and face, but Cas doesn’t look like he really minds so _screw it_ , he needs to find out what’s wrong, well… out-of-the-ordinary wrong.

 

Cas shakes his head “Yes, my back hurts. But I can’t tell where it hurts more. It hurts just as much as every other limb in my vessel.”

 

“So it’s your whole body. Does it feel like it’s in your bones?”

 

Another shake of the head “No. My muscles don’t want to be stretched.”

 

“Oh…” Dean squints slightly, thinking. “Okay, hold on.”

Dean makes a move to stand, but Cas looks so pained it pins the hunter down. He sighs.

 

“Cas, hey.” He places his right hand on Cas’ shoulder. “ ’M gonna help you okay?”

His hand moves to cradle Cas’ cheek, but he pretends he doesn’t notice.

“It’s gonna be fine”

 

Cas nods solemnly and Dean gets up.

When he comes back, he’s carrying a towel and fresh pajamas. Cas is sitting up straight waiting to see what Dean will do. The hunter shifts his load to one hand and places the other on Cas’ shoulder. Looks right into blue eyes.

 

“You think you can walk?”

 

Cas sighs heavily. “I used to be able to fly.”

 

There’s pain in his eyes, unmistakable emotional pain, and Dean feels a lump in his throat. He bites his bottom lip in worry and squeezes Cas’ shoulder under his hand. He doesn’t know what to say. There’s nothing he could say honestly that wouldn’t sound like he’d really like the angel to fall. So that he would be done with this sickness…. So that he’d stay…

 

Blue eyes travel to his lips and suddenly Dean’s worry is clouded by something else.

He feels… hot… and red.

_Shit. Crap. Focus._

 

“Cas… it’s just. I think you could use a shower right now, and I need you in the showers room for that”

 

Cas purses his lips. “I don’t think I’d like to get wet at the moment”

 

Dean sighs and crouches down in front of him.

 

“Look, the change of temperature could help your muscles relax and that might be all you need to go back to sleep”

 

“I don’t sleep”

 

“ _Cas_ ”

 

“You think my body hurts because my vessel’s muscles are stiffened” he sounds skeptical.

 

Dean gently jabs two fingers on a spot between Cas’ shoulder and his neck. He feels the tightened muscle before the angel flinches away from the touch.

 

“I know for a fact that you’re tense”

 

Cas looks down and now Dean jabs his fingers to his ribs. Never heard of a ticklish angel but is worth the try.

 

Cas flinches away but now with a smile on his face. Dean forces himself to think it’s just his body’s automatic response to the touch but then Cas looks up and there’s this sparkle in his eyes and Dean can’t help but to smile back. And there it is again. He can’t move.

 

“I think I can walk.” the angel says with a sweet smile. Dean thinks he could kiss his cheeks. He gets up instead and takes him to the showers room.

 

Getting Cas a shower is a _nightmare_.

 

Thank fuck the angel can still take off his own clothes, but Dean still doesn’t want to leave him alone for too long and he decides to put him in the shower in his boxer shorts and help him the way he used to help Sam when they were younger. The change between hot and cold water used to make Sammy angry but he was obedient and when they were done he always felt better and went right to sleep.

 

Cas is another story. Dean makes the mistake of starting with the hot water and every time he tries to turn the water cold Cas turns the knob with his mojo. _At least his grace is showing up._

 

But Dean’s sure their bickering will wake Sam up.

 

“Cas! _Enough!_ Why do you have to make a problem out of this?! Just let me do this! I’m only trying to help!!”

 

Dean can tell Cas is getting frustrated. “I don’t want to-”

 

Well, too bad. _I’m even more frustrated._ He won’t have any of it. “ _Cas!!_ ”

 

That makes the angel snap right back. “But why do you need me to-”

 

The angel’s soaked to the bone, looking fragile and just how Dean imagined he looked like _that time_ when he turned up at a river, with no recollection of who he was.

 

Dean unintentionally remembers those days when Cas didn’t know him or Sam, and he’s so fucking tired. He shuts his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose.

 

“Because I don’t want to see you in pain” he mumbles, but there’s no doubt Cas hears it because he goes completely silent.

 

Dean keeps his eyes closed and his voice down. He has more courage like this for some godforsaken reason.

 

“I’m tired of it damn it! I’m tired of watching you feel pain and not being able to do a fucking thing about it! I just-” _Stupid Rowena... and Metatron... and Crowley...and Zachariah....and God, and everyone._ “I just want to try to comfort you.”

His voice comes out all raw. He opens his eyes.

 

He doesn’t want to look Cas in the eye so he looks down, which is worse.

 

He sees Cas’ boxer shorts and flushed _hipbones._

His heart races. _Shit._ He looks up at Cas’ face.

 

“You know what? A hot shower might be just as good” He smiles weakly “C’mere” He gets Cas out of the shower and drapes the towel around him. He leaves the angel to change himself and waits outside the showers room.

 

They walk towards Cas’ room.

 

“I’m sorry” the angel’s trembling a bit and Dean drags him into his room. He drapes a fresh blanket around him. Cas is looking apologetic, pained and ashamed. Dean sighs and he rubs his hands over Cas’ arms over and over to warm him up.

 

“ ’S not the point, Cas” Cas looks up at him through his hair, Dean brushes it out of the way with his right hand. “I don’t want you to be sorry, I want you to get better.”

 

His eyes aren’t red anymore. Standing here with only the dim light coming from the TV, his eyes look a deep blue that would put the open oceans to shame. Dean stills his hands when he feels it again, that pull. It would take just one step to get their bodies together.

 

“I _am_ getting better.” Cas’ tone is hushed. “My grace is getting stronger, if only slightly at least there’s progress. You witnessed it in the showers room.” The angel licks his lips. “I’m sure I could shut down the television if I wished to do so”

 

Dean’s heart wants to pump out of his chest and a shiver runs down his spine. _God_ , what his imagination would do if he lets it run free.

 

“No, don’t” Dean feels like a chicken, but he seriously cannot do this here, like this.

“We need to get you to bed” He smiles at Cas, apologetic but honest. Cas smiles back, that small smile Dean hopes to God is just for him.

 

He sits Cas on the bed and crouches in front of him.

 

“How’re you feeling?”

 

“Like I could lay down now”

 

Dean yawns, big and inevitable. He laughs a bit at himself.

 

“That’s great” He pats Cas’ knee and comes around the bed to lay beside Cas. Cas lays down and after ten minutes he’s snoring. Now he’s sleeping, there’s no doubt. Dean doesn’t know what to make of it.

 

He watches Cas for half an hour, afraid that he’ll feel uncomfortable again and get up without telling him, but Cas stays there, and Dean’s body gives up.

 

 

✧･ﾟ:*  ✿  *:･ﾟ✧ 

 

 

Dean’s alarm goes off at ungodly hours, as usual. The hunter reluctantly gets up to smash his phone against a wall, but then he remembers Cas is sleeping beside him and he just shuts it down.

 

He checks the angel for fever or sweat but his skin is just comfortably warm and Dean wrinkles his nose when his mind starts to suggest cuddling.

 

He gets out of bed and goes straight for the kitchen. Sam is sitting there with his computer.

 

“Morning”

 

“Hngtch” Dean mumbles as he pours his coffee. He must look like hell.

 

Sam laughs openly. “Jerk. How’s Cas?”

 

Dean chugs his coffee to be able to speak correctly. He rubs at his eyes and his whole face. “I honestly don’t know man, I’ve no idea if this is all because of the spell or if it’s a new spell or if he’s falling, I just…” He sighs heavily. “I don’t know. Fever seems to be over so that’s good. He’s still in bed” He stills abruptly and looks at his brother’s smug face. “I mean, I just checked on him on my way here”

 

Sam smiles knowingly. “Of course, you did. Give it some time he’ll get better.”

 

Dean hums into his second cup of coffee. “What are you doing anyway?”

 

“Looking for signs of monster armies, nothing so far and thank the heavens”

 

Dean snickers “Heaven had no part in that, Sammy”

 

“Not what I meant and you don’t really know that. Anyway, found an amateur witch and I’m going to bring it down”

 

“You are? Where? You can’t go alone, Sam that’s dangerous to say the least and-”

 

“It’s only two states away and I don’t need you to come.”

 

“No way in Hell are you going on a hunt alone, Sam, the Darkness is somewhere out there and-”

 

“Dean! Shut up for a second will you?”

 

Dean shuts his mouth abruptly.

 

“Look, we don’t have any clues on the Darkness and I’ll learn more out there than I do here. I already know who’s the guy, where to find him and how to bring him down. I’ll call six times every day and I swear if I get the slightest sign that the hunt is getting complicated I’ll ask for your help... I want you to stay with Cas. You take better care of him than I could.”

 

“He can take care of himself for a couple of days.”

 

“So can I”

 

“That doesn’t mean that you-”

 

“ _Dean._ ” Sam looks at him straight in the eye. “He needs you more than I do right now.” He looks at Dean with his puppy eyes and it’s all over.

 

Dean sighs. “You’ll call?”

 

“Of course” Sam shuts down his laptop and puts it inside his duffel. He comes back to hug his brother goodbye.

 

Dean hugs him back. “Be fucking careful”

 

“Not a scratch on her” Sam smiles.

 

“ _Sam_ ”

 

Sam laughs. “When have I been reckless?”

 

Dean huffs a laugh. “Oh, you don’t wanna hear it”

 

“Jerk.” Sam leaves the room with a smile on his face.

 

Dean calls after him. “Bitch, and now that you mention her, she needs air in those tires”

 

He hears Sam’s response from the front door. “On it.”

 

And with that, he’s left alone in the kitchen.

 

He fixes breakfast for him and Cas (just in case) and when he’s done he goes to his room to get his computer and see what he can do about cough.

 

 

✧･ﾟ:*  ✿  *:･ﾟ✧

 

 

“Gargles”

 

Cas makes another face, but no move to take back the cup and Dean restrains himself from rolling his eyes.

 

“Cas…”

 

“The ingestion of fluid brewed from common garlic won’t have any effect on me,Dean”

Cas says this with his _I’m-a-celestial-being-thus-I’m-right_ face. It _would_ be persuasive, if it weren’t for his red nose and his strained voice that evidently shows he’s holding back from coughing.

 

Dean takes a deep breath.

 

“You won’t _ingest_ it, you’ll gargle it… or with it, whatever. Castiel, the sooner you take that, the sooner I’ll be outta here getting you proper cough syrup”

 

Cas’ symptoms so far seemed to be only discomfort accompanying his apparent fall and Dean hadn’t been worrying too much, but now Cas’ body seemed to need real medicine or his small coughs and harmless fevers would evolve into _real_ trouble.

 

“Again, the ingestion of fluids, be them natural or-“

 

“For God’s sake Cas! You’re being-”

Dean cuts himself short when he realizes he’s almost yelling again and takes another deep breath, not wanting to upset the angel.

 

He looks at Cas straight in the eyes. He’s tired of the angel not wanting to do what he proposes. Cas’ reaction to bitter remedies is only natural and it’s silly that it would make Dean feel rejected, but it kind of does.

 

He sweeps a hand over his face in frustration. “Tell me what you want.”

 

Cas seems to freeze for a second, staring back into Dean’s eyes and Dean feels that stupid hopelessness again, as if he were under some dumb spell that didn’t let him move when Cas’ eyes were on him.

 

The angel licks his lips. _Stop staring at his mouth._

 

Cas coughs a bit and Dean snaps out of it looking anywhere but at those eyes again.

 

“I want to go lay down”

Dean gestures towards the tea cup with pressed garlics and the warm water.

 

“You do what you have to do, I’ll take you to bed myself” _Yeah, you wish._

Dean awkwardly clears his throat. _Pull it together, Winchester._

 

Cas just stares blankly at the cup, then he takes out his right hand from under his blanket and rubs at his nose with such commitment, Dean’s heart skips a beat just watching him. _Fuck._

If Dean were being honest with himself he’d have to admit the angel is nothing short of adorable.

 

He’s not being honest with himself though, that would be _insane._

 

So he turns away from Cas to get him tissues. He hands them over, Cas accepts them and throws them away when he’s done.

Dean’s got both his hands flat on the table, his worry making his patience wear off faster than usual.

 

“You can’t really breathe, can you?”

 

Cas looks up at him, the picture of stubbornness.

 

“It’s slightly difficult, yes”

 

Dean sighs dramatically and looks at his hands.

 

“I swear a five year old is easier” he mumbles under his breath.

 

When he looks back up Cas just grants him his mighty glare. Dean glares back, annoyed, before giving in.

 

“I’ll trade you the garlic for a session of steam inhalations”

 

“I doubt eucalyptus will have-”

 

“ _Cas!_ ”

 

Blue eyes widen at his warning tone. Dean puts on his best puppy eyes in return.

 

“ _Please_?”

Cas’ eyes soften and he sniffles, fiddling with his hands.

 

“If it’s important to you, I suppose I can do it” he shrugs.

 

Dean gently clasps his hands on the table feeling less annoyed and more grateful. _Victory._

He sighs in relief this time. It’s painful enough to see Cas feeling depressed by the prospect of his fall, he doesn’t want the angel to go through physical discomfort as well.

 

“Yes, yes it is. Thank you.”

 

Cas smiles a little and burrows further into his blanket.

 

“You’re most welcome.” He murmurs as Dean throws his garlic water down the drain. Dean can’t help but to smile.

 

Once he helps Cas with his remedy, Dean gets him to bed. As soon as the angel hits the pillow his breathing slows and his eyes close. Standing by the side of the bed, Dean knows if he waits ten more minutes Cas will start to snore. He knows there’s little to no grace left on that body. And he knows the angel knows this as well. _Former_ angel.

 

Dean hates seeing Cas go through this kind of shit. He knows what is like to have your very essence ripped away from you for a reason that’s never going to be good enough. He still thinks he sees the mark in his arm sometimes.

And he knows Cas can deal with this, he has before, but of all the angels in heaven, Cas is the only one he can’t witness suffering. He’s always been too good for this world. _He doesn’t deserve this._

 

His hands clench into fists, he would give absolutely anything and everything to see something other than pain and fear in those eyes.

 

Cas sighs in his sleep and Dean feels that sensation again as if he couldn’t move, as if he was being pulled towards Cas. He fights the urge to kiss the angel’s forehead and instead he cards his fingers through his soft hair.

 

He can’t help but think that if they hadn’t met… he would’ve kept on being an angel for the rest of eternity. Maybe it’s his fault, maybe Dean’s his bad luck.

 

Maybe they were never meant to meet?

 

But… _no. No, I would’ve … there’s no way I would’ve died without knowing you._

He brushes is knuckles against Cas’ cheek _. There’s no way I would’ve **lived**_ _without it._

Dean swallows hard and takes back his hand. He stands there, weighing his feelings and his courage, trying to figure out how to close the distance.

 

After some time he gives up again.

 

Then he leaves the room.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> The garlic thing works, turns out my aunt uses it ALL the time, she's a nurse. 
> 
> Anyway, I suspect our angel would rather have chocolate (spoiler alert). 
> 
> I can't really tell you if they'll be ten or just two more installments for this series, but what I _can_ tell you is that this is definitely not the end.
> 
> I'm already working on the rest and I hope it won't take too long.
> 
> Whoever you are, I'm honoured that you would take some of your precious time to read my work and I would love to hear from you. ♥(ˆ⌣ˆԅ) You can find me [ here ](http://research-blackwings-denial.tumblr.com) and in the comments section.
> 
> I hope you all have a beautiful end of the year. (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧


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